Questionnaire-Based Maladaptive Decision-Coping Patterns Involved in Binge Eating Among 1013 College Students

Abstract

Binge Eating Disorder (BED), considered a public health problem because of its impact on psychiatric, physical, and social functioning, merits much attention given its elevation to an independent diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Similar with substance use disorders, some neuropsychological and personality constructs are potentially implicated in the onset and development of BED, in which poor decision-making has been suggested to facilitate overeating and BED. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between decision-coping patterns, monetary decision-making, and binge-eating behavior in young adults. A sample of 1013 college students, equally divided into binge-eating and non-binge-eating groups according to the scores on the Binge Eating Scale (BES), were administered multiple measures of decision-making including the Melbourne Decision-Making Questionnaire (MDMQ), the Delay-discounting Test (DDT), and the Probability Discounting Test (PDT). Compared with the non-binge-eating group, the binge-eating group displayed elevated scores on maladaptive decision-making patterns including Procrastination, Buck-passing, and Hypervigilance. Logistic regression model revealed that only Procrastination positively predicted binge eating. These findings suggest that different dimensions of decision-making may be distinctly linked to binge eating among young adults, with Procrastination putatively identified as a risk trait in the development of overeating behavior, which might promote a better understanding of this disorder.

Profiles of Impulsivity in Problematic Internet Users and Cigarette Smokers

“…But paradoxically, most of these students could easily indulge themselves at university, staying away from parents and entrance exams. As a result, some mental disorders and behavioral disturbances (e.g., depression, anxiety, excessive gaming, smoking, shopping spree, binge eating and drinking) have been more and more salient in Chinese adolescents and young college students in recent decades (Liu and Zhou, 2002; Leung et al, 2008; Lian and Lin, 2008; Cao et al, 2011; Kieling et al, 2011; Yan et al, 2018). Our findings of the specific impulsivity traits involved in PIU (e.g., Negative Urgency) and cigarette smoking (e.g., Sensation Seeking), therefore, potentially designate a peculiar pathway to the prevention and intervention of certain problematic behaviors among Chinese college students.…”

“…A higher degree of delay discounting is described by a larger k -value. In our study, we adopted a culturally adapted Chinese version among college students (Sun and Li, 2011), which has been closely reported in our previous study (Yan et al, 2018). The k -values were calculated and log-transformed in order to get a normal distribution.…”

Monetary Reward Discounting, Inhibitory Control, and Trait Impulsivity in Young Adults With Internet Gaming Disorder and Nicotine Dependence

“…In this equation, k is a free parameter, with a larger k -value describing a higher degree of delay discounting. An adapted version of DDT among Chinese students ( 108 ) was used in this study, as reported in our previous studies ( 25 , 109 ). Examples of choices on this task are “A: receiving RMB ¥1000 now; B: receiving RMB ¥10000 one year later” and “A: receiving RMB ¥9000 now; B: receiving RMB ¥10000 one year later.” The k- value was calculated and log-transformed in keeping with the literature.…”

“…Subjects have to choose between a smaller amount of money delivered “for sure” and a larger amount of money delivered probabilistically. Examples of choices are “A: $20 for sure; B: a 1-in-10 chance/10% of winning $80” and “A: $40 for sure; B: a 5-in-10 chance/50% of winning $100.” This task has been properly used in our previous study reported elsewhere ( 109 ). The degree of probability discounting is calculated by the equation V = A /(1+ h Θ), in which the free parameter h refers to the degree of probability discounting.…”

Loss of control over eating: A systematic review of task based research into impulsive and compulsive processes in binge eating

“…All of these facets of impulsivity have been investigated in relation to binge eating (both subclinical and full-blown BED). Yan et al, 2018). However, it is less clear whether this is driven by loss of control (LOC) eating or weight status.…”